Railway-rail joint.



PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

J. W. GAY. RAILWAY RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION min NOV. 20, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

i :1 III-.1

UNIT D STATES Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 734,056, dated July 21,1903.

' Application filed November 20, 1902. Serial No. 132,107. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN WALKER GAY, a

citizen of the'United States, residing at Sodaville, in the county of Linn and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Rail-.

- the construction, as hereinafter shown and characters are employed for like parts in all the figures, Figure 1 is a plan View of the rail-joint. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the adjacent rail ends disconnected. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slight modification in the structure of the joint. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the rail ends embodying the modifications shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line VII VII of Fig. 4.

The vertical web portions of the rails are indicated at 10, the tread portions at 11, and the tie flange portions at 12, of the usual construction throughout the body portion of the rail; but at the ends the vertical web portion 10 is increased in transverse thickness substantially equal to the transverse thickness of the head or tread portion 11, as shown at 13.

Extending from the ends of the rails are tongues 14, reversely disposed, so that when united, as shown in Fig. 1, each tongue forms one-half of the combined vertical web and tread portion, with their inner faces in engagement, thus bridgingthe gap between them and forming an interrupted transverse joint. The free ends of each of the tongues 14 are reduced transversely, as shown at 15, the reduced portions adapted to fit corresponding recesses at the roots of the tongues,

as shown.

The free ends of the tongues and their contracted portions 15 abut squarely against the adjacent ends of the portions 13, so that the rails will efficiently resist the end thrust between them.

It will be noted that all of the transverse portions of the joint are square-shouldered, and the transverse area of all parts of the joint is equal to the total transverse area of the ends of the rails, so that no reduction in the ability to resist end thrust takes place in this construction of a rail-joint. By this simple means a very efficient bridgingjoint is provided, in which ample provision is made for the expansion and contraction without producing any gap between the ends of the rails, while at the same time the interlocking tongues effectually prevent any lateral movement at the joint, and the wheels of thepassing train will pass over the joint without any jarring or pounding. By this arrangement also no danger exists of brooming or otherwise deleteriously affecting the ends of the rails by the impact of the carwheels, and the life of the rails is materially increased.

In Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 a slight modification in the structure is shown consisting in providing interlapping transversely disposed tongues 18, embraced within the tie flange portion 12 of therails, as shown, these transverse tongues being arranged in addition to the vertical tongues 14, and the jointis very greatly strengthened and any tendency to contraction counteracted.

The flanges 18 will preferably be provided with registering perforations to provide for the reception of clamp-bolts 19, as-shown, which form a very stifi and rigid joint, efiectuallypreventing deflection vertically or transversely, while at the same time permitting the necessary longitudinal expansion and contraction.

roots of the opposite vertical tongues, and having reversely-disposed overlapping transverse tongues embraced within the tie flange portions of the rails, substantially as described.

2. In a rail-joint, the rails having reverselydisposed overlapping transversely-disposed tongues embraced Within the tie flange portions of the rails and having registering apertures adapted to receive clamp-bolts, substantially as described.

3. In a rail-joint, the rails having reverselydisposed overlapping vertical tongues extending from their adjacent ends and with the free ends of said vertical tongues reduced and adapted to engage the walls of corresponding recesses at the roots of the opposite vertical tongues, and reversely-disposed overlapping transverse tongues extending from the opposite ends of the rails and embraced within the tie flange portions thereof and having registering perforations adapted to receive clamp-bolts, substantially as described.

4. In a rail-joint, the rails having reverselydisposed overlapping vertical tongues extending from their adjacent ends and with the free ends of said vertical tongues reduced and adapted to engage the walls of corresponding recesses at the roots of the opposite vertical tongues, and reversely-disposed overlapping transverse tongues extending from the opposite ends of the rails and embraced within the tie flange portions thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have heretoafiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WALKER GAY.

Witnesses:

E. W. BLACK, L. R. BOND. 

